Tuscany Hotels - A wonderful family atmosphere at this country hotel offering traditional accommodation on a farm outside Florence. Painstakingly restored, with a large swimming pool, it has easy access to Florence, Siena and Chianti.
Casanuova is idyllically located amongst olive groves, vineyards and woods. Two long buildings border the interior courtyard, which is paved in natural stone, and the house has its own chapel, a reminder of its monastic past. This is a place that invites you to stay. You will meet the estate pets: two donkeys, cats and dogs. You will also hear sounds rare in the big cities: the calls of frogs, nightingales and crickets.
Despite its quiet location, Casanuova lies between the important art-historical places of Tuscany. Florence is 25km away, Arezzo 40km, Siena 60km, and you are within easy reach of the A1 motorway. The nearest town is Figline Valdarno, a lively small town with an attractive weekly market and mediaeval attractions. And Chianti, with its fine wines and towns such as Greve, Gaiole and Castellina lies not far from the house.
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Casanuova is a convenient starting point for walks, motorcycle and bicycle rides. Horse riding, swimming and tennis facilities are approximately 5km away. Other destinations nearby include the Road of the Seven Bridges with its Romanesque churches; San Giovanni Valdarno, birthplace of Masaccio and built by Arnolfo; the museum of farming culture and the Romanesque church in Gaville (3km); and Vallombrosa with its abbey.
The rooms are furnished using exclusively natural materials and with the simple rustic furniture of the region. There is no TV and no mini bar - instead you can enjoy delightful views of the countryside.
The house comprises two single rooms with a communal bathroom, 18 double rooms with bathroom, and one apartment. On request you can have extra beds for groups and children. Apart from a generously proportioned dining room and a lounge with piano and fireplace there is an inviting library, with its own fireplace. There are other corners for reading, sitting rooms, a covered outdoor seating area, and paved terraces with tables and deck chairs placed conveniently.
The house was remodelled at the beginning of the 1980s, when owners Ursula and Thierry Besançon decided to create a place that would make nature and art lovers feel welcome in Tuscany. They found the ideal property in Casanuova, a 350-year-old estate steeped in history. Originally it was a monastery, then an orphanage and was then farmed by tenants of the Count Serristori. Slowly and carefully they restored the house, laid out gardens and terraces and started working the land again. Now Casanuova has become a popular destination for individual holiday makers and groups, people who are looking for a home when on holiday and who want to experience the real, natural Tuscany.
